welcome to web 2.0

I have a new iPhone. It is my first. I need “iPhones for Dummies.” But while I figure it out, I’m having lots of fun!

i pray you enough

I rarely share or forward emails — perhaps because I get so many of them every day and our inboxes are overflowing.

But I thought this was lovely and I hope it offers you a special moment today.

Recently, I overheard a mother and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure. Standing near the security gate, they hugged, and the mother said, ‘I love you, and I pray you enough.’

The daughter replied, ‘Mom, our life together has been more than enough. Your love is all I ever needed. I pray you enough, too, Mom.’

They kissed, and the daughter left. The mother walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see she wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on her privacy, but she welcomed me in by asking, ‘Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?’

Yes, I have,’ I replied. ‘Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?’

‘Well…I’m not as young as I once was, she lives so far away & has her own busy life. I have some challenges ahead, and the reality is – her next trip back will be for my funeral,’ she said.

‘When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, ‘I pray you enough.’ May I ask what that means?’

She began to smile. ‘That’s a prayer that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.’ She paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and she smiled even more. ‘When we said, ‘I pray you enough,’ we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.’

Then, turning toward me, she shared the following as if she were reciting it from memory.

I pray you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I pray you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I pray you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I pray you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I pray you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I pray you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I pray you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye.

Then, she began to cry, and walked away.

it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood

the avocados are making their way

Hmmm, I don’t know if I’m impatient or if it’s slow season for my little green fruit.

They’ve been taunting for weeks and are still only about four inches tall. Last year was a cornucopia harvest. This year may not be so.

can you identify this bloom?

Just this year, a vine has overtaken the angel trumpet. The trumpet is thriving despite it, and I hate to cut it away because the blooms are so interesting. Any idea what this is? Weed or exotic beauty?

gardenias in the morning

The gardenia smells heavenly. It is slow to rebloom this year after a banner week not too long ago.

after

I think I grabbed too many pix of “during” in my haste. But here are some official afters along with some almost done.

during and some after

before

It has come to my attention that the photo gallery of the outside renovation has disappeared. I’ll put up a few quick photos now while I try to figure out the problem.

happy father’s day

Harry Chapin sings Cat’s in the Cradle. Treasure every day with the people you love.

matt logelin to publish book

If you’re following Matt Logelin, you probably know his story: He lost his wife, Liz, the day after his daughter was born. He writes a compelling blog that is a pleasure to read and inspires a loyal following. What’s up next? A book contract. Good for him!

golfing fore scholarships

Headed out for a golf tournament to raise new student scholarships. It is going to be a hot day … but better on the course than in the office!

royal pains

Things have been a little slow in free-TV land (whatever I can pick up on my computer). But I’ve found a new show, Royal Pains, on USA Network. It has an original storyline and the first three episodes have been fun. Have you seen it yet? Thoughts?

two healthful ideas

I read recently about the “sleep diet.” Research indicates that people who sleep at least 7.5 hours a day will lose weight, even if they do nothing else. So I have been attempting this — a big change from my usual 4 or 5 hours.

I also saw Tony Robbins recommend super-hydrating, which he says also supports weight loss. The formula: Divide your weight in half and drink that many ounces of water daily.

I’ve been doing both for about 3 weeks, and see a 15 pound loss. I’ve also been careful about food. Wow, do I feel good!

Have you tried either technique?

i have been there

I Have Been There from Mark Schultz on Vimeo.

i am

he’s my son

He’s My Son – SK video from Christy77 on Vimeo.

you raise me up

what are you reading this summer?

I just finished The Shack, a haunting little book that belies its size. Some pastors decry it while others have embraced it. Some argue whether it follows the letter of scripture but it certainly provides food for spiritual thought as you explore your relationship with your God.

I’ve just started Ursula Le Guin’s The Wave in the Mind.I read the first chapter online at the NYT years ago and bought it to read. I am just now getting to it. That first chapter, part of a series of essays and talks, remains riveting. I tried to find a link to that chapter for you to no avail. If you happen across it please share back with me and I’ll post.

Here is Oprah’s summer pick list. And here is the NYT’s “girls of summer” book overview.

And what is on your nightstand or tucked into your travel bag?

If you had to recommend one book as a “must read,” what would it be?

just a reminder for orange county: free books and dvds

I’ve posted previously on the plethora of resources available free for home delivery from the Orange County Library System.

Today I just placed a list of 20 items — books, CDs, DVDs — most recently released that I’d like to enjoy over the summer.

So if you live in Central Florida and have an OCLS card, you too can take part in the festivities: www.ocls.info.

Here are more details from previous posts:

free downloadable stuff from orange county public library

orlando public library offers free home delivery

sometimes you’re just headed the wrong direction

We have a new parking garage across from our building which was so poorly designed that you see the car scrapes on the ramp walls. In the quest to maximize downtown real estate (ha ha, I guess that was an issue in the design phase), the spaces are incredibly narrow and the configurations make absolutely no sense. They change from floor to floor. Colleagues have lost mirrors, doors … it’s a miracle everyone is still in one piece. The newspaper regularly writes columns about this parking nightmare, more topical now because a movie theater just opened in the building. That ought to help …

Last week a team member pointed out that she has twice gone up a down ramp in the several months that we’ve been parking there. I looked at her like she was nutty, and asked how in the world could she have done that.

Today I learned. The hard way.

But it could have been harder — no lives, limbs or pieces of metal were sacrificed during my journey up the down ramp. I was in a hurry and trying to get parked for a meeting. The usual spots were full. So I backtracked to a place I don’t ordinarily park, seeing open spots. What I didn’t realize is that if you do not follow the arrows in a linear fashion (which only gets you to the front rows), it’s easy to get confused. The ramps change direction on every floor.

So I’m meandering up and see a truck headed toward me. I honked and thought, good grief, this goofball is going the wrong way. Seeing another car behind him, I realized that I was the goofball. Apparently this is very common because they were kind enough to smile and wave nicely (as opposed to flipping me off).

I’m not sure what lessons were learned.

And then I began to ponder all the times that going the wrong direction landed me in exciting places and led me on fascinating adventures.

Today was not one of those experiences.

why, yes, it is brain science

From the New Scientist, more on the inner workings of your noodle.

ling and lee sentenced to 12 years in hard labor prison

Surely there must be a way to undo this.

your favorites?

I’m looking at upgrading and replacing a few of my tech toys over the next few months or so. I yearn to be a Mac girl again (well, I’ve never stopped but my tools betray me).

So, I seek your feedback.

Mac or PC? Which model?

iPhone or Blackberry? Which model?

And what about Wii Fit? Worth investing in a Nintendo system and the accessories?

Red or white? Boxers or briefs? Chunky or smooth? (Just kidding, though feel free to share).

I appreciate your guidance!

And happy birthday to my godmom, Aunt Jo, and her daugher, Jenn.

listening to all the old stuff

Many of my CDs are buried deep in boxes, most of which are marked “fragile,” with few other descriptors (chalk that up to help packing, lol).

I’ve been missing a few, particularly those that make me forget whatever it is I’m thinking about.

I stumbled upon Imeem. It’s fascinating. I don’t think I’ve quite figure it out yet (Feel free to enlighten me please). However, I’ve accessed several of my favorites and been able to stream the music online (over and over, so apparently there isn’t a limit). If you wish to download, you purchase the regular way. If you just want to listen, it’s free.

You may create playlists, favorites and listen to new music, as well.

Isn’t that amazing?

julie rivkees returns home

I am thrilled to report that 15-year-old Julie, the missing Winter Park girl, is home safe and sound. Here is a note from her family. God is good.

the children are coming back to florida

The children, C1 and C2, will be dropped off by their dad in mid-July on his way to a work/fun trip with my sister in law. I’ll be then taking the kids back to Texas for a family reunion five days later to meet up with Mom, our family and the cousins. Should be great fun! Of course I’ve never flown with two children in tow … Stay tuned.

hello out there

Dear readers: This blog just marked its 28,000th hit, a visitor from Berkley Heights, NJ, who dropped in right around noon.

Thanks to those of you who tolerate my ramblings.

Stop by any time! I appreciate you.

p.s. Write back soon.

thought for the day

Stop thinking about working out. Get up, get dressed and go work out. Muscles need actual participation from other body parts to become toned.

15-year-old julie rivkees still missing in central florida

I posted information last week about a 15-year-old young lady from Winter Park/Casselberry, Florida, who has gone missing. The media coverage has been fairly scarce locally — particularly when you compare it to the ridiculous coverage that has gone to the Anthony family.

I’ve been to the blogs and the family’s Facebook and website pages to see what information I could gather that might be helpful.

It appears that she may have run away, which could be biasing full-blown media coverage. But a 15-year-old is still a missing child, no matter why she left. As a result, many people are posting to their social networks. I’d like to do my part by continuing to post her information.

Best I can tell from postings by Jess, who says she is her sponsor and a close family friend, Julie may have been struggling with substance abuse. One poster alleged Julie had left rehab unexpectedly. Jess also indicates that while there was suspicion she may try to return to her hometown in New Jersey (Millburn) she likely is still in Florida, probably Orlando, Ft. L or South Florida (Miami).

Jess wrote to particularly look for her downtown on Orange Avenue or along 50/Colonial Drive, where she may have been spotted recently. She also suggested that Julie may be working her way closer to home in Winter Park/Maitland/Casselberry in hopes that she’ll be found. Her family has said she requires prescription medication and could be in dire medical danger.

Julie Rivkees is 5′5″. Her hair may be curly or straight brown. She weighs 115 pounds. She was last seen in jeans with a black purse, and may have been sighted near OIA.

You can access the websites at the links above or go to www.helpfindjulie.com. There you will also find posters that can be downloaded. If you Twitter, please include #julie in the text.

Julie, if you or any friends with you happen upon this post, please know that some 5,000 people have signed on to your family and friends FB page to help find you and that countless others are helping in the search to ensure your safety.

Here are several other posts:

http://helpfindjulie.com/letters.html

http://boards.insessiontrials.com/showthread.php?t=354056

http://geral64.wordpress.com/2009/05/27/winter-park-teenager-julie-rivkees-missing/

http://www.examiner.com/x-7939-Tampa-Jewish-Community-Examiner~y2009m5d26-Orlando-family-utilizes-online-Jewish-community-resources-in-search-for-missing-teen

http://maplewood.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/julie-rivkees/

the season begins

June 1 marks the commencement of hurricane season. In Orlando today it is warm, sunny, still and not a hint of rain in sight.

Let us hope it is a quiet season. The local paper was pointing out how the abundance of foreclosures pose yet another risk to the market, as these empty homes are liable to take more damage because no one will be there to throw up a tarp or immediately address other problems.

On a happier note: Go MAGIC!

the avocados are sprouting

The avocado tree is just beginning to blossom with a dozen or so small fruit. I suspect it will be another 30 days or so before we’ve got a full tree and ripe, large specimens.

Friends: Prepare for me to share the harvest!

congratulations to the hometown boys

Well, against the odds the Magic prevailed!

On an interesting note I followed the game on Twitter. Very 21st century of me!

a full day

Half-day Friday offered a full itinerary: late birthday lunch for a friend, a haircut, drinks and snacks with other friends, and the stage show, Grease, co-starring one of my girlfriend’s sixth-grade daughters. It was awesome! I see a future with her name in lights. As I told her attorney-mom, the acorn didn’t fall far from the drama tree …

all is calm

Finally the wicked storms have subsided, for the moment. I took in a lot of water on the back porch and I’m a little worried about mold and mildew. I have a feeling that a bleach/water bath is in the near future.

GO MAGIC!!!!!!

winter park teenager julie rivkees missing

I sent a tweet about this yesterday with a picture of 15-year-old Julie and the family website. But in case you aren’t on Twitter, I wanted to share this. I don’t have details but it seems that she could be just about anywhere so keep an eye out.

I have also posted an article from the Examiner that offers a few details. Note that they suspect she could be headed to the northeast, perhaps New Jersey, her home state.

The family website is here.

more details on missing julie rivkees from the tampa examiner

Tampa Jewish Community Examiner: Orlando family utilizes online Jewish community resources in search for missing teen

Posted using ShareThis

www.helpfindjulie.com

what a wonderful world

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong is one of my favoriite songs. Paired with this endearing YouTube video, it could not be more lovely. The end is adorable!

believe

download new live coldplay album FREE

You can download Left Right Left Right Left for free through iTunes. Just go to the Coldplay website.

susan boyle makes memories

55 ideas about ideas

55 Ideas on Ideas

View more OpenOffice presentations from Ricardo Sosa.

the froggies are a’ courtin’

Let me just say for the record that the frogs that live in my yard are among the loudest and chattiest in frogdom. And they are particularly prolific at night. They’ve had me up for three hours already … Two of them passed away in the storm, and while I am sad to see any of God’s creatures leave (and was very sad that night when I found them; they apparently drown), I’m a little bit thankful for two fewer chirps tonight/this morning … How can something so small be so loud?

hmmm … not sure what i think

A friend invited me to — and treated for — a conference based on the Laws of Attraction. What the woman said made good sense. I think I was a little suspicious of the whole adventure. But apparently she is channeling the greater pool of consciousness. When she talked about herself in the third person it was a little weird.

Also, it’s odd to me that every guru is saying much the same, remarketing and branding it, and claiming it as new brilliance.

It echoed Tolle, Kabat-Zinn, Williamson, Robbins and others.

The Secret has the same basis but that didn’t really speak to me in the same way as those mentioned above.

a little reprieve from the rain

Very little but very welcome.

really … it’s time to stop raining

The pool held its own and I didn’t have an overflow. I’m not sure if it will drain into the house or if it will head toward the lake. We may find out this weekend. The good news, I guess, is that I still have a persistent leak. So even though it rained overnight, the pool level wasn’t any higher this morning. However it has rained so hard that the indoor/outdoor carpet in the screened porch is squishy. That cannot be great … I’m not sure how to fix it. Any ideas?

overflow?

There should be a plug on pools you can pull in strong rains. Of course mine is 25 years old. I understand there is a way to drain the pool … I know they did it when they were replacing the tile. I have been watching as the water level is growing to just about overflowing. I’m not sure what will happen next.

rain, rain go away

We’ve had a drought in Central Florida for several months, and it has been very wicked. Yet now we have so much water that we’re flooding. Our prayers were answered but perhaps more than we anticipated. Now we must pray for some eco balance!

twittering

Do you tweet? If so please join me at @geral64. I’ve discovered the Tweetdeck, which allows you to manage your twittering. This has become my new source of news … and entertainment! Please tell me who you are or your connection to this blog and I will be sure to follow you too.

a woman of such courage

Wow … the Farrah story is amazing.

I always felt the 2 degrees of separation. My next door neighbors (I babysat their girls) were in college with Farrah (and knew her well) and Farrah’s parents lived in the subdivision across the street. When I was in drill team (yeah, I know … don’t say it, lol) we wore Farrah wigs on the field.

So I have never known Farrah but somehow she has felt like a neighbor. When bad things happened to her or she had bizarre behavior, I felt awful for her.

Today, having watched her documentary, I could not be more proud of the woman I never really knew but always secretly hoped to.

And I wish I had a Ryan in my life.

Words to live by: “I never give you up … we will never surrender ” from her German doc.

I hope that I will have the courage she shows to combat life’s battles.

what about elizabeth edwards?

I just watched her Larry King interview, and I think he was willing to ask the hard questions. I didn’t see the Oprah interview, nor have I read the book. I did read Maureen Dowd’s column in which she clobbered Elizabeth as being selfish and serving up her family while perhaps punishing John.

To me, Elizabeth seemed credible and authentic and sympathetic, though I didn’t feel like she was playing the victim. She didn’t deflect and she didn’t hesitate. She even showed off the size 9 jammed wedding ring finger (as opposed to her size 7 right hand finger).

If you’ve read the book, seen the Oprah interview, viewed Larry King or some combo: What is your evaluation?

I don’t suggest we judge her. No one knows how you might respond when put in another’s shoes. But I’m just curious how you viewed her motive for writing the book.

FWIW and with limited evidence I felt pretty good that her intentions were pure.

reputations are fragile

This is not about political affiliation or preferences. It’s about thoughtlessly forwarding hateful emails that are, in the end, untrue and have the power to ruin a good name — not a politician’s but an innocent person whose identity was stolen.

I have a family member who shall remain nameless and a few donors who have strong feelings about the current administration and feel the need to forward emails without checking out their veracity.

I got one last night, allegedly written by a history professor, that likens Obama to Hilter.

I was baffled and visited the university website to discover if the author even exists. Well, a professor does teach there by the same name. In exploring further, I discovered a blog posting on his website. He did not write the piece and discusses how his reputation is threatened by this identity theft.

I am including a copy of his note in case you receive this email, so that you can send it back to the person who forwards it to you. Imagine if a spiteful, evil email were circulating and the anonymous venom-spewer were hiding behind your name …

“There are two modes of establishing our reputation: to be praised by honest men, and to be abused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the former, because it will invariably be accompanied by the latter.”

– Charles Caleb Colton, Anglican clergyman (1780-1832)

Reputation and trust are precious and precarious things. They are built over a lifetime, and yet they can be squandered (or stolen) in an instant. This has been one of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the past few days as I have dealt with a rather unusual case of identity theft.

Hopefully, none of you are going to encounter my cyberspace imposter or his/her work firsthand. But just in case, I wanted to take a moment to explain what has happened, set the record straight, and reassure everyone that I haven’t completely lost my mind!

This situation first came to my attention back in December. Just before the beginning of Christmas break, I began to receive “fan mail” (for lack of a better term) on my university e-mail account. These people kept raving about this online political essay I had supposedly written and published, and that was now being circulated via forwarded emails. Some called me courageous. Others hailed me as a visionary. A few suggested that I was predestined to play a pivotal role in the apocalyptic events foretold in the Book of Revelation. (I’m not kidding…) Now over the past eleven years I have published a book and several articles in academic journals, and I have to admit I never even attracted one groupie. So with my curiosity very much piqued, I began searching the internet for the mysterious article.

I suppose it was inevitable that I was not going to like what I found. There, prominently displayed on a rather politically extreme website, was an essay that likened President Barack Obama to . . . Adolph Hitler. Underneath the title was the inscription “by Tim Wood.” Uh-oh.

I was not pleased. However, even though my parents always told me I was special, a quick internet search will reveal that I am not, in fact, the world’s only Tim Wood. So I ignored it. Until recently, that is, when the forwarded version of this article had mutated into a form which included the rather unambiguous phrase “Professor of History and Political Science, Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO.” The writer of this message also helpfully appended my office phone number and e-mail address.

I would be lying if I said I was not upset. Even above and beyond the fact that the comparison is utterly ridiculous (anyone who believes that truly has no understanding of the depths of evil plumbed by the Nazi regime), it was now personal. Who has the right to speak for me like that? How dare they hide behind my name! What if my colleagues — or my friends and family – read this and believed it??? And it still surprises me how much we all (and I include myself in this) take at face value off the internet. In history, scholars are trained to always analyze their sources. Always, in the back of their minds, historians must be aware that the historical documents they are working with may contain errors, lies, omissions, and distortions. Their sources may even turn out to be wholesale forgeries.

To navigate those potential pitfalls, historians check facts and look for other documents that conform (or contradict) the information found in our source. We seek to identify the author and understand his or her motives for writing. We try to understand the larger historical and cultural context surrounding a document. By doing our homework, we’re better able to judge when something or someone deserves to be “taken at their word.”

This episode has taught me that these skills have an important place even outside this history classroom. All of us know how much dishonesty there is in the world around us, yet how quickly we forget that just before we hit the “forward” button. For me, this has been a warning against being intellectually lazy and has reminded me of the importance of verifying information before passing it on to others. (Along the way, I’ve also learned that websites such as www.snopes.com and www.truthorfiction.com are excellent tools for investigating online hoaxes.)

At any rate, I’m now in the process of cleaning this mess up, and am optimistic that it will soon be straightened out. And if any of you encounter any online rantings and ravings that claim to be by me, don’t necessarily believe it. Things are not always what they seem.

Timothy L. Wood, Ph.D.

posted by Webmaster at 1:35 PM on Mar 20, 2009

Here is the link to his blog.

social networking for charity

Social Media for nonprofits: Overview

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wordpress: post by email

Post by Email

by John Godley

Have you ever wanted to fire off a post from your phone, Blackberry, Outlook at work…? Following on from Comment Reply Via Email we’re introducing our latest feature to make it even easier to publish to your blog: Post by Email.

Maybe you’re on holiday and want to show your journey. Maybe you’ve captured something with your cell phone that you just have to share. Maybe you’re at work and should be doing something else. With Post by Email you can keep everyone up-to-date without even opening a browser.

Post by Email is super simple to use. From the new My Blogs menu you can generate special email addresses:

You can create as many email addresses as you need, one for each blog you have access to.

Now for the fun part – send an email!

You can send email from any email client, whether in a browser, on your desktop, or from your cell phone, and as much formatting will be retained as possible.

Attachments are not left out, and your images will be included and automatically converted into thumbnails.  If you include multiple images they’ll be converted into an attractive gallery.  Now you can take photos anywhere and have them appear on your blog in moments.

If you’ve purchased the Space Upgrade then MP3 attachments will be displayed using our audio player. If you’ve purchased the VideoPress upgrade then you can also include videos.

There really is no easier way to get media onto your blog.

If this hasn’t whetted your appetite, here’s a quick run-down of Post by Email features:

• Transcoding of any video files supported by the WordPress video player (mp4, mov, wmv, avi, mpg, and m4v).
• Automatic removal of standard signature blocks, with support for manual removal of other signatures.
• Add your email addresses directly into your address book using downloadable vCards. (You don’t even need to remember the address!)
• Automatic notification of a published email post.
• Conversion of YouTube URLs into embedded videos.

For advanced users wanting that little bit extra, full control of your post is possible through special shortcodes, with details provided on the Post by Email support page.

It’s time to start emailing again!

done

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---

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wow, it’s fragrant

All the way on the other side of the yard (not that the yard is that huge but …) is the ginormous gardenia bush/wall of which I have written.

Even though there is very little breeze in Florida right now (beyond the ceiling fan on the porch), you can smell gardenias the instant you walk outside of the house.

It’s pretty awesome. And it makes me feel happy and calm. Next year I should add some jasmine (I have a small plant  in the front of the house, just getting started … it may have to move to the backyard where I spend most of my time at home) and honeysuckle, another favorite.

When I moved to Florida, I rented a tiny little lake bungalow and the McMansion owners (lovely people, don’t get me wrong) next door had planted honeysuckle along about 150 feet of chain link fence from road to lake. You couldn’t see anything but the greenery out of season and flowers when in bloom. It was an amazing thing to experience. Pretty and fragrant no matter where you were in the house or yard. I don’t have that much front to back fence space now (and it’s wood, which is trickier in training) but still it might be fun next year.

Yes, just what I need … another project, lol.

where do you live?

I am somewhat easily amused, and I like gizmos and whizbangs. So this whole Traffic Feed function is fascinating to me. Look at where all the nice readers hailed from recently …

Arrival or Departure

Country

Browser

OS

Long description

Current time: 07:09:05 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)

Greenville, South Carolina landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/

06:03:06 — 1 hour 6 mins ago

Brno, Jihomoravsky Kraj landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/whats-a-realtor-to-d…

05:24:59 — 1 hour 44 mins ago

Longmont, Colorado landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2007/08/19/sometimes-he-calms-t…

01:56:38 — 5 hours 13 mins ago

Mountain View, California landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/

00:49:16 — 6 hours 20 mins ago

Mount Vernon, Washington landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/kraftmaid-cabinets-a…

00:25:08 — 6 hours 44 mins ago

Brooklyn, New York landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/the-teeny-tiny-half-…

00:12:51 — 6 hours 56 mins ago

Cardiff landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/

00:07:51 — 7 hours 1 min ago

Nanaimo, British Columbia landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/03/30/slate-porch-and-walk…

23:07:56 — 8 hours 1 min ago

Toronto, Ontario landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/kraftmaid-cabinets-a…

23:01:00 — 8 hours 8 mins ago

Larchmont, New York landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/the-teeny-tiny-half-…

22:46:28 — 8 hours 23 mins ago

Tracy, Minnesota landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2009/03/15/bumper-sticker-honk-…

22:45:03 — 8 hours 24 mins ago

Youngstown, Ohio landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/06/13/may-god-hold-you-in-…

22:10:40 — 8 hours 59 mins ago

Glendale, Arizona landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2007/11/25/you-say-biscuit-i-sa…

21:08:42 — 10 hours 1 min ago

South Bend, Indiana landed on http://geral64.wordpress.com/2008/04/23/kraftmaid-cabinets-a…

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what the flock?

I have discovered a new and handy website, www.flock.com, which allows you to put all your social networking on one dashboard. I now officially have ADD.

happy day

My niece and godchild made her first communion today!

golfing is good

Today a wonderful group of local women professionals threw a golf tournament on our behalf. So far they’ve raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars for student scholarships over the years. I got to play with some of my dearest buddies. It was a good day!

re-entry is tough …

After a week at the beach, working on school stuff, I finally had to return to work. I didn’t take a single picture but it was very beautiful. I can’t believe I only was there twice in the past 12 months. I will have to do better …

waves are good

There is nothing quite like watching the sun rise over the ocean, with crashing waves and a brilliantly blue sky. I am very blessed.

intermittent connectivity

For some reason my wireless card has had very sporadic reception. It’s driving me nuts, but perhaps it’s a sign that I should put the computer away and walk on the beach …

fashion don’t

Very few people can carry off a thong swim suit or a pink Speedo … Middle-aged, round men, in particular, should shy away from them. I’m just sayin’ …

am i a twitterer or a tweeter or just a twit?

At our board retreat, we explored some technologies that may help to connect our board members and donors. My new Facebook page is attracting both. I’ve been playing with Twitter. I now have several dozen followers. There isn’t much to follow at this point, but the strange thing is that — unlike Facebook friends — I have no clue who most of them are or why they are following me. I have discovered it’s a really handy way to get the news instantly. But I’m not yet sure I love Twitter … What do you think?

happy weekend

I plan to relax, watching some movies, read and enjoy the seashore. Hope your weekend is as lovely!

retreat went well

Ah, I got to spend two days at a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean with my fabulous board volunteers. They truly are wonderful, generous, selfless people. The feedback was quite positive, which is always encouraging (and a huge relief). I have the best staff in the whole world — the event was flawless. And if you’re looking for a place to vacation in Daytona Beach (or an event venue) I recommend The Plaza Resort and Spa. The service was awesome, the property is gorgeous, and the food was decadent. Five stars!

www.plazaresortandspa.com

off to retreat

I’ve never understood why an event designed to advance an organization or team is called a retreat. Nonetheless, I am headed northeast until I see water.

the sights are colorful

I am sitting in the backyard. The gardenia bush is in bloom and it smells heavenly. It’s probably 25 years old, so it’s taller than me and about as wide (as it is tall, not as wide as me). The hibiscus plants (one of which is twice that size) are also beginning to pop red and white flowers. A spiny purple plant is budding as are the red and violet bushes (no clue what they are). The angel trumpets are just starting to blossom. The tropical plants are blooming, the amaryllis (late this year) have emerged. And some interesting red bulb plants are sprouting but still are mostly leaves. Interestingly, one of those also re-emerged in the front yard (two years after the renovation completely trashed and rearranged the landscaping. It just popped up in the middle of the new plantings — sturdy little soul. The grassy looking plants are producing white flowers with a hint of purple. The lantana has gone mad. A very interesting crawling plant has surfaced (for the first time in three years) and is creeping across the fence and the angel trumpet. I would suspect it is a weed but the flowers are so unusual, yellow, white and blue with little spiky things. Obviously I don’t have a degree in horticulture … The bulbs I planted last fall are still dormant, maybe next year. Still waiting for the yellow daylily that spreads across the fence and the avocadoes. Very soon I think. Happy spring!

good morning

The lake is like glass; it is utterly still and quiet. The birds are chirping like crazy. Are they communicating with each other or just entertaining me? The sunrise was stunning. Now I must work.

how facebook invaded my life

I established a second FB page — this one tied to my work email address. Like magic, I have 102 friends, all of whom have some professional connection. Will this set the stage for creating a foundation page?

We’re going to explore that (and more) in retreat next week but so far the results have been unimpressive in dollars raised by “causes” on FB. The more important question though is how much does it impact donor education, cultivation and stewardship that then lead to making a gift in a different way?

As mentioned before I think it’s important to maintain a divide between friend friends and work friends. I’m still amazed by all I’ve learned about (and visualized through pix) about colleagues who have major job responsibilities — I know all about the new girlfriend, the coconut bra and the grass skirt (that he was wearing), who is up typing “thoughts for the day” (which I can rarely decipher) at 3:45 in the morning, whose wife is a real smart alec, who is addicted to Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, Desperate Housewives and martinis, ah the list goes on and on.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/26/jobs/26career.html?8dpc

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/24/AR2009042402022.html

the sweet saga of love at last

A tale of two lives that finally converge into one.

technology and college fundraising

We’re exploring the social networking media as potential conduits, but the results so far are mixed. Here’s some perspective.

strunk and white turn 50

If you spent any time in journalism, you have memories of this tiny little book: The Elements of Style. It’s now celebrating its 50th anniversary.

if you’re listening, word press gurus …

I think Word Press is a wonderful, intuitive site. I’ve had some trouble with widgets but I suspect that is a user error rather than a design flaw. I tried to get my Twitter account to post here last week (does the fascination of this blog never end??? lol) but I still don’t see it.

However to the Powers That Be at Word Press. If you are looking for a suggestion, it would be really nifty if you could create an interface like the status bar at Facebook that allows you to post a hotlink that includes the title, the website, a short blurb and if available a thumbnail photo or logo from the site.

It’s really handy for the lazy blogger.

is it time to renovate?

what is your volunteer time worth?

The answer is in from the Independent Sector’s annual research.

why florida rocks … ahem

I do love it here despite the current challenging issues. Here is a funny piece from local columnist Mike Thomas. His top 10 reasons to move to Florida: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_columnist_mikethomas/2009/03/top-10-reasons-to-move-to-florida.html

more of susan boyle

Embedded video from CNN Video

She sings the theme from Titantic toward the end (about 11:15 marker). The rest is an interview with Larry King.

is it time for a re-fi?

CNN and Money magazine editors provide this helpful advice along with a calculator.

all that twitters is not gold

All atwitter: Oprah, Ashton, CNN

do you need a dick armey?

the tax man cometh

and he tooketh away.

the voice of an angel

Who knew that Simon had a heart?

feed the world and your brain

Harvard and the UN have teamed up to create a site that challenges you to define words while winning rice for hungry people around the globe. So if you’re looking to kill a little time with online games, this one will really pay off: www.freerice.com.

You can switch subjects to play on online quizzes about grammar, foreign languages, chemistry, math and even art.

Please share the link with you friends. It’s an easy way to sharpen your brain and lessen pangs of hunger around the world.

happy easter

(\___/)

(=’O'=)

C(“)__(“)

really random meanderings

Pragmatic news: My PhD adviser recommends that I proactively recreate my entire first three chapters just in case the committee goes that direction, aiming for a new question. Deadline: April 29.

Complicated news: My board retreat is April 30/May 1. I see some timing issues conflicting on PhD and my job that keeps me solvent-ish.

Good news: I can carve out a bit of time this month for some contiguous planning/writing time. I have about 15 weeks of rolled vacation (I have lost a bunch because it’s hard for me to truly take off).

Bad news: Duplicating effort will irritate me if they go back to plan A but at least it will be one less thing to worry about.

Reality: I don’t control this process.

Good news: Fundraising at fiscal yearend March 31 was about $1.3 million above last year, which is about a 130% year-over-year increase, largely due to an incredibly generous $1 million gift (which is not the norm for us).

Bad news: For the first year since I’ve owned real estate I owe taxes, mostly because the 15-year/5% on Princeton (which I was paying ahead on) is now mostly principal. I owe a lot of taxes.

Good news: My deferred comp check was lost in the cracks (and I didn’t realize they’d missed it because every year they do something different). While I’d likely be better served to plan for my future, this will pay my taxes.

Other news: The ticker just restarted April 1 and I have begun fundraising again for this fiscal year in a generally bizarre economy which shows an inkling of recovery. I’m hopeful. I’m also aware of the environment we’re in and the fact that philanthropy is a lagging indicator.

Reality: The dives in the economy and market have never mirrored dips in charitable giving.

Bad news: It’s fiscal yearend and I spent 7 hours documenting mileage (on my day off).

Good news: I will get a check (See taxes discussion above).

Interesting news: The housing market is making small, incremental increases in College Park.

Bad news: I have so much to do and will have to write a fairly significant check to make a 70 year old (but renovated) house perfect the same time the value has dropped precipitously.

Good news: The new house qualifies for a lower interest rate based on prompt payment and excellent credit rating (Also see taxes discussion which will throw a few dollars toward this). Frankly, I’m shocked my FICO score is still so high given the mortgages. I guess you get some bonus points for never being late and paying ahead when you can.

Pragmatic news: Perhaps if I can organize all the issues and my life/finances I can get Princeton on the market by June while the credit market is relaxing and before we hit rock bottom on fair market house values.

I think I’ll stop for now. I’m sure you’re more exhausted reading this than I am thinking about it all. All of these thoughts wake me up in the middle of the night (and keep me up). Perhaps putting them out there into cyberland will ease the stress.

But I hope all is well with you! Even when things get crazy, I count my  blessings — my consistent, persistent, resistant, accidental, fly by night and new readers among them.

speaking of gardens

This is a lot around the corner from my College Park house. It has been vacant for years and the new garden, which a neighbor planted when the economy made it impossible to build the ginormous home the land owner imagined, is intriguing. And beautiful. It certainly has spiffed up the neighborhood, especially since the house directly behind it (on my street) has been in foreclosure for at least three years. They can’t sell that house even on a short sale.

no maintenance gardening

Five plants you can’t kill from a home and garden site. I’m game.

probably shouldn’t include on the postcards

Welcome to Florida, land of the least happy.

While I would disagree with the overall assessment, things are a bit tough here right now.

the palin machine vs. levi

I’m not sure what has inspired Levi to do the TV circuit but the gloves are off. It’s kind of a shame. If he is to be believed, the young couple may have stood a chance had it not been for the zoom lens of the campaign. The pity is for the poor child who he is no longer allowed to visit with unsupervised.

phd, schmee hd

I took a quarter off school and I have restarted. I adored the coursework, even taking three classes a quarter while working full time. It was hard but energizing (when not exhausting). Comps weren’t as hideous as I imagined and worried about.

The dissertation phase is zero fun for any number of reasons and I haven’t even gotten to my independent research yet.

I’m not complaining. I’m just trying to remind myself why this was a good idea (wanted to finish what I started in Texas, blah blah blah) and to help encourage myself through the narrow part — which is now.

So, there you have it. I’m sure you’ll hear a bit more sighing before I finish …

i can’t wait

Girls’ weekend starts in minutes … South Florida. Sun. Beverages. Friends I’ve known and loved for 33+ years.

Whoever invented girls’ weekend should get a prize. I’m just sayin’ …

april fools’ day

Happy April 1. It was tw0 years ago I embarked on this two-house, remodeling adventure. Surely the date should have given me reason to pause, lol …

many happy returns

Happy happy bday Suzy Q. See you this weekend!

new college admission blog

Attending college and universities has become more competitive as institutions cap enrollment. Tuition continues to increase at many public colleges as state’s cut back on their funding.

The New York Times has a new blog that can help parents and their college-bound children.

greenery?

What is your experience with compact fluorescent bulbs? I’ve had mixed results.

update on the jason and molly story

What is happening to the bachelor and Molly?

caution: words at play

I like words. I like made-up words, archaic words, poetic words, brash words, foreign words, jargony words, lyrical words, onomatopoeias, oxymorons, word games, word twists, clever turns of phrase — and especially new words. I used to be a snob about new words that slithered their way into the dictionary simply because they had become a part of our daily lexicon.

Something about journalism school made me think I had to be the keeper of free speech and a pristine, never-changing dictionary. I’m over that now.

My boss is probably the smartest person I’ve ever known, incredibly well-read and just brilliant about everything (It’s actually a little annoying how gifted he is at math, science, art, poetry, music, raising children, people, fundraising, persuasion, communication, running a large, complex organization, but I digress).

I mentioned that something was ginormous a couple of years ago. He smiled and told me that wasn’t a word. I said, it’s in the dictionary, look it up.

Yes, I still have the job, lol.

I just discovered this NYT blog about words. I like it.

interesting perspective …

.,, from Gail Collins at the Times.

octo-mom

She fired the free, donated nannies?

Was it my imagination or did she sound much more lucid and intelligent in her phone conversation with Dr. Phil? With all the attorneys, bad press, media glut, nursing transitions, people with an opinion (not to mention children), it’s hard to sort through what the state of affairs truly is for those kids.

And in the end that is all that matters, right? Safe, healthy, happy, sane children.